Record number of Bachelor's degrees, and the first technology double degree

22.12.2017

From left to right: 1) Prof. Dr. Kira Kastell, The Vice President Academic Affairs (Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences), 2) Double Degree Graduate Kai Kukasch, 3) Managing Director and President Riitta Konkola (Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki)

The number of Bachelor's degrees in 2017 was almost 2700, which is a new Metropolia record. New records were made within Business Administration and Health Care and Social Services. We also had a new first when, on 18 December, we had our first double degree in technology by Kai Kukasch from Frankfurt, Germany.

A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration was completed by 295 students, and in the Health care and Social Services by as many as 1031 students. Both of these figures were higher than ever before.

All in all, a record total of 2669 Bachelor's degrees were completed in 2017. This is 110 more than in 2016. In December alone, we had a total of 674 Bachelor's and 107 Master's graduates.

The number of Master's degrees was a little under last year's level, although the intake went up by 40 students. This is nevertheless not a poor result, because the total number of Master's graduates this year is 394, which is only 15 less than last year (409 in 2016).

Double degree in technology

Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland has signed an agreement about a technology double degree programme with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. This gives Information and Communication Technology and Electronics students the opportunity not only to go on an exchange programme to Frankfurt, but also to complete a German engineering degree in a corresponding field. Likewise, Frankfurt's Information System Technology and Electrical Engineering and Communication Technology students may complete an engineering degree in Metropolia.

Consequently we had a special occasion in the form of Metropolia's first double degree in technology by Kai Kukasch from Frankfurt, Germany. Kukasch was an Erasmus exchange student to Metropolia in the 2016–2017 academic year. His degree from the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences is Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Communication Technology, and from Metropolia Bachelor of Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies.

"It seemed like a great idea to study abroad for a year, especially in Finland. I had heard that the Finnish educational system was one of the best in the world and that Finns are very innovative in technology," said Kukasch.

On the whole, he considered his experience a great one. What he liked best was the relaxed study atmosphere, good teachers and nice student friends.

"Lectures in Germany are generally less interactive. Students sit in a lecture room and listen to the teacher for hours. The Finnish system favours classroom study. The teachers are often interactive, and instead of just sitting and listening, you get to do more yourself. Project topics are not offered to students in Finland as is the case in Germany. The teachers encouraged us to find topics ourselves. This stimulates creativity, and we did in fact try out some innovative stuff," said Kukasch.

The greatest challenge to Kukasch was the Thesis project and the English language.

“Writing the Thesis was far from easy. To begin with, my biggest challenge was to brush up my English. Another one was when I found out that students in Finland usually complete their Theses in companies. I knew very little about Finnish companies, and I had never applied for a job in English. But I was lucky to find a company very soon, which made me very happy," said Kukasch.

At the graduation ceremony at Metropolia's Leppävaara campus, Kukasch's fluent English speech made it clear to everyone that challenges with English had been certainly won as well. He recommended studying abroad for anyone wanting to broaden their horizons and to learn about other cultures.

Those present included Metropolia's Managing Director and President Riitta Konkola, Prof. Dr. Manfred Jungke and the Vice President Academic Affairs Prof. Dr. Kira Kastell from Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.

More in store

Vilant Systems Oy, the Finnish company for which Kai Kukasch did his Thesis eventually hired him. Now, however, he has already been hired to work for the same company at a site in Germany, in fact back in Frankfurt.

"Our objective is to offer students better opportunities to do well in the global market. On the other hand, foreign students to Metropolia may turn out to be excellent finds for the Finnish industry," says Principal Lecturer Antti Piironen, who has contributed to the double degree agreement right from the start.

More double degrees can be expected next academic year, as students from both UASs who are going on extended exchange programmes have expressed interest in completing a double degree.

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